Improvement in rope-reels



G. N. CASS. Rope-Reel.

N0. 221,395. Patented N0v.11, 1879.

MPEERS. PHOTO-UTDQRAPHER, WASHINGTON. D C.

UNITED STATES l:lierre-:bnr OFFICE.

CYRUS N. CASS, OF DEGATUR, ILLINOIS.

Spcciicatiou'forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,395, dated November11, 1879; application filed April 2, 1879.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Beit known that I, CYRUS N. CAss, of Decatur, in the county of Macon and'State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inRope-Reels; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description lof the same, reference being made to theaccompanying drawings,

`forming a part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 is a planview of niyimproved reel when closed; Fig-2, a side elevation of thesame when open; Fig. 3, end view; Fig. 4, sectional viewof the same,Figsf, 6, and 7 are detail sectional views.

This invention relates to new and useful 4 improvements in the class ofrope-reels that represent two .journal-boxes mounted upon said shaft,each having four square sides, bt, and to each of which sides is pivotedan arm, C, ofthe reel. The ends of the journal-boxes facing each otherhave square at'faces b'l perpendicular to the axial line of therota-tion of the reel. These-faces b of the journal-boxes .extend beyondthe square sides b thereof the full'thickness of the arms C, and serveas shoulders to prevent said arms from falling toward each other whenraised to a position at right angles 4with the central shaft, A. Aportion of each face b of the` journal-box, at the corners thereof,about one-half inch in width, is extended still farther and bent overthe sides of the journal-box, forming lips or braces b2 projecting overeach of the arms C, whereby Isaid arms are held steadily against thesides of the journal-boxes, to which they are pivoted. Y

D D represent wheels for securing the arms C in an upright position,said wheels screwing onto the outside projecting screw-threadedportions, b3, of the journals, as vclearly shown in Fig. 2.

Each ofthe pivoted arms C has firmly fixed to one of its sides aratchet-plate, c, with which a pivoted spring dog or pawl, c', engages,by which the contractible and extensible reel-bars E are held firmly orsecured in any desired position upon the arms C. The arms C are providedwith index scales orflgures, whereby the reel-bars may be accuratelyadjusted to fit any size ropecoil before the reel is inserted therein.

Each of the reel-bars E is composed of two sections, d d, and which aremade contractible and extensible, as follows: Each of said sec tions isprovided at one end with a slide-loop, d', sufficiently large to receiveboth sections; and these sections are put together by reversing the freeend of each section, which will pass through the loop of the othersection, by means of which the arms can be extended or contracted tocorrespond with the length of the rope-coil. The free ends of these barsd are provided with holes d2, by which the loops F, provided with a studor pin, e, on the inside ther'eof, are pivoted to said bars, said loopshaving a slot, e', through the same, on the sides-facili g each other,for permitting free motion of the ends of the bars therein, or of theloops around the ends of the bars.

The spring pawls or dogs are also centrally pivoted yupon the stud orpin e, to which the bars are pivoted; and said pawls or dogs are heldinto engagement with the teeth of the ratchet plate by a spiral or othersuitable spring, e2, having its ends respectively secured to pins orstuds on one end of the pawls or dogs, and projecting from the ends ofthe loops, all as clearly shown in Fig. 5.

Upon the shaft Abetween the wheels D and the bands f, adjustablethereon, and secured in position by set-screws f are arranged spiralsprings f2, the object of which is to press the arms C close against theends of the ropecoil, and thus prevent the coil from becoming loose orspreading laterally, while the ratchetplates and pawls or dogs on thearms of the reels are for the purpose of ext-ending the reelbars (whenthe rope-coil is mounted thereon) as far away from the central shaft aspossible, so that the coil will not become loose at the core; also toadjust the reel-bars to any sized core ot' rope-coil; and, iinally, tocreate sufficient friction to prevent the reel from turning without theapplication oi force thereto.

'The frame or bearings by which the central shaft is rigidly secured inposition are com posed of the plates G G, each provided with aright-angled flange, g, by which they can be secured to any surfacehaving a square angle. The ends of the shaft are provided withscrewthreads a, upon which the lock-nuts a a are screwed, and betweensaid lock-nuts the plates G are secured, by means of the shaft A fittingin the slots g' thereof.

It will be observed that all the parts of my improved reel arc composedof metal.

To pack or ship my improved reel. the wheels D thereof are unscrewedfrom the journal-'boxes and slipped along on the central shaft towardthe ends thereof, when the arms and bars are folded down close to thecentral shaft, (the wheels of a working reel not occupying more than aspace three inches in diameter,) and the fellies of the wheels slippedover the ends of the arms, thus securing the parts in a compact package.

To insert my improved reel within a ropecoil, the arms at one end of thereel are raised at right angles to the central shaft, and the wheelscrewed onto the journal, thus holding the arms in an upright position.The spiral spring is then moved on the shaft so as to abut against theouter end of saidjournal-box, and secured in that position by the bandand setscrew. The set of arms at the other end of shaft are thencollapsed, and, with the shaft, thrust through the core or centralopening of rope-coil, (the reel-bars being first set on the pvoted arms,according to the size of the coil.) I then press the coil on the shafttoward the end having the arms already secured in position, after whichthe set of arms passed through the coil are raised and secured inposition by screwing the other wheel on its journal-box and thenbringing the band close against the journal-box and securing it theretoby its set- 'screw, when the reel is ready to be attached by its platesG to proper bearings or supports, and secured thereto by set-screws.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a rope-reel, the combination of the pi voted arms C, havingtheratchet-plates c, and the reel-bars E, having the loops'F, provided withthe dogs or pawls c', substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. In a rope reel, the combination of the sectional contractible andextensible and radially-adjustable bars E, and the pivoted arms U,provided with the pivoted and slotted loops F, substantially as and forthe purpose herein shown and described.

3. In a rope reel, the combination of the journalboxes B, havingprojecting screwthreaded portions b3, and the wheels D, substantially asand for the purpose herein shown and described.

4. In a rope-reel, the combination, with the arms C, of thejournal-boxesto which said arms are pivoted, having the extended faces band right-angled lips or braces b2, substantially as and for thepurposeherein shown and described.

5. In a rope-reel, the combination, with the slotted plates G g g', ofthe central shaft, having screw-threaded ends, and lock-nuts a' a',substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

6. Ina rope-reel, the combination,with a stationary central shaft, oftwo series of pivoted arms, adapted to be adjusted toward or from eachother on said shaft. and provided with pivoted and slotted loops F andcontractible and extensible reel-bars, adapted to be adjusted on saidarms toward or from the central shaft, substantially as and for thepurpose herein shown and described.

GYRUS N. CASS.

Witnesses CRAs. D. PERKINS,

W. N. HATCH.

